ABSTRACT
This chapter will present the several research works on using vermicompost as a soil amendment for sustainable land and environment in Thailand. It starts with the Earthworm Distribution under Different Land Use Systems in Northeast of Thailand – Beneficial for Land Resource Reclamation followed by The Influence of Earthworm and Rice Stubble on Soil Aggregate, Carbon Sequestration and Soil Fertility in Sandy Loam Paddy Soil in Northeast Thailand, Influence of Vermicompost on Soil Physical Properties and Soil Microbial Activity in Agriculture Field, Bioremediation of Municipal Sewage Sludge by Vermicomposting Technology in Thailand and Using Agro-industrial Waste with Chicken manure in Vermicomposting for Soil Rehabilitation and Organic Rice Productivity and the study on Influence of Vermicompost on Soil Properties and Growth and Yield of Cassava (Manihot esculenta) and Using Vermicompost in Soil Rehabilitation in Salt-affected Area and Vermicompost on Soil Properties and Maize Growth in Saline and Non-Saline Soils and Using Vermicompost in Soil Rehabilitation for Rice Production in Salt-affected Area of Northeast Thailand. The results of these studies showed that the earthworm has the potential to be a soil bioindicator that can be used to assess and monitor land use change, soil pollution, soil health and ecosystem functioning under different land use systems and management practices. Therefore, the role of soil biota such as earthworms should be recognized for the importance and urgency of improved knowledge and management practice for soil conservation and sustainable land use in Thailand. Moreover, vermicompost technology could be a potential technology to convert toxic organic waste into nutrient rich biofertilizer, which would be useful to improve the sustainability of land restoration practices on a low-input basis.
